The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-08-24
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
SOME SUGGESTIONS ON VERY w
FOKrAET SUBJ E:,T

"A - =
Our presen: System, OF Public Education.
To the Editor of the News and Couri-
er: The question how we can best ed0-
cate young men in order to tit them Tor
life, and for its tvo-fold struggle, partly
against the adverse forces Of nature,
partly against tie ever increasing IKE
lectual aud industrial competition OF
other trained communities, should lGost
deeply engage every thoughtful anG
patriotic citizen Of the State. AS tnls
duty to the rising generation IS ole of
the gravest tha. caa possibly arise il the
whole category Of individual, social and
civic responsibilities, it should be ap-
preached seriously, gravely, earnestly,
reverently, with al entire freedom from
prejudice and passion, and an eye siHgie
to the asceriainnent of truth. Unfo1tu-
nately the question OF educatlon has not
heretofore been considered in this earn
est, patriotic spirit.
The present controversy Git can scarce
" be called discussion) over the best
methods of education of youth IN the
stn1ies "pertai4;ng to agriculture and
the mechanic arts" bids fair to go The
way OF all others Of its kind, and to be
decided not on its merits, but IN accord
ance with the way in which It affects
conflicting individual or LEGAL interests.
Now il this discussion We're unlmno-t-
ant, so that no great harm would result
from decision IN any direction, the
public could afford to leave few as
putants to fight it out. But lnasnuch
as South Carolina has always been, and
most probably always will be, all agri-
cultural State in spite Of bocms and
tariffs and other alleged ''Giversify!2g
influences, so that her chief wealth wll!
be derived directly from the soil By the
toll and sweat OF large proportion OF
her people, it is manifest necessity t'las
tlis problem Of the Improvement OF her
extracted industries be solved with cor
rectness and solved with dispatch.
In the fierce competition Of the cay
the State has 40 time to lose. But 8
blunder may be worse than crime. A
false step may cost her thousands OF
dollars directly and millions in It's con
sequences. She is, therefore, compelled
to avoid apathy on one hand and too
great haste on the other. She must act
promptly, but she must act wisely. She
must be sure she is night and ther go
ahead. I sincerely hope that tie dis
cussion of this question will become
general. Full and free debate Is the
safeguard of republic. The sovereign
people may be trusted when they under
stand, but people nisled is danger
Gus tyrant. I give credit for Slncc>lty
and honesty Of purpose to ali who f%vc
thus far had anything to say upon the
subject. I take it for granted that they
have no desire to propagate error or
to win their cause in any other way than
by sound reason based on undispu,ed
facts.
Nevertheless the public demands il It's
own i-terest that those who assume to
teach must first thoroughly acquaint
themselves with their subject; or t5aS II
they fail in this, then mistakes mus! be
pointed out by some one else. In the
interest of truth, and OF s. serious, can
did, dispassionate discussion OF thus m
portant measure, desire to correct some
of the errors of fact, express or implied,
that have crept into the discussion.
It has recently been stated by several
persons and newspapers that unless the
State establishes q special agricultural
COLLEGE she cannot secure the benefits OF
the Congressional "Hatch Act, which
approprsates Sl5, 900 a year for agr!cnl-
tural and scientific experimentation.
Whether this is true or not can be seen
by reference to the following sections OF
the Hatch act as passed:
'sSection /. Be it enacted, &c., That
in order to aid in acquiring and diffuSins
snong the people Of the United States
useful and practical information On sub
jects connected with agriculture, there
shall be established under direction OF
the college or colleges or agricultural
departments OF colleges in each State or
Territory established, o. which may
hereafter be established IN accordance
with the provisions Of On Act approved
July 2, 1862, department to be known
and designated as an agricultural expert
mens stanon: fro!loeG tlia. - an5 Snns.es Hsaee
or Ierr1eofy IN Wn1cn Two Si.So soSH ootSSes tSs
nave oeen or msy oe 80 esss.D,ls4e, ~ ,,-.I
appropflaI-on netelhai1Ii - msuy sI, W S.;cH
otaEe or territory Snan oe ualiy ~, ~
cd between sucn coueees' u41ess Ie
legislature OF such otate OF ierrleory
shall otherwise direct.
'sSectlon 5. That II States h&vlns